to afford it,
kill some three, some four, or more sheep, even to ten, so that in one
sacrifice there are sometimes slain above 3000 sheep; and as they are
all slaughtered at sun-rise, the shambles then flow with blood. Shortly
afterwards all the carcasses are distributed for God's sake among the
poor, of whom I saw there at least to the number of 20,000. These poor
people dig many long ditches in the fields round Mecca, where they make
fires of camels' dung, at which they roast or seethe the sacrificial
flesh which has been distributed to them by the richer pilgrims. In my
opinion, these poor people flock to Mecca more to satisfy their hunger,
than from motives of devotion. Great quantities of cucumbers are brought
here for sale from Arabia Felix, which are bought by those who have
money; and as the parings are thrown out from their tents, the
half-famished multitude gather these parings from among the mire or sand
to satisfy their hunger, and are so greedy of that vile food, that they
fight who shall gather most.

On the day after the sacrifice to Abraham, the _cadi_, who is to these
people as the preachers of the word of God among us, ascends to the top
of a high mountain, whence he preaches to the people who stand below. He
harangued for the space of on hour, principally inculcating that they
should bewail their sins with tears and sighs and lamentations, beating
their breasts. At one time he exclaimed with a loud voice, "O! Abraham
the beloved of God, O! Isaac the chosen of God and his friend, pray to
God for the people of the prophet." As these words were spoken, we
suddenly heard loud cries and lamentations, and a rumour was spread that
an army of 20,000 Arabians was approaching, on which we all fled into
the city, even those who were appointed to guard the pilgrims being the
first to make their escape. Mid-way between the mountain of Abraham and
the city of Mecca, there is a mean wall, about four cubits broad, where
the passengers had strewed the whole way with stones, owing to the
following traditionary story: When Abraham was commanded to sacrifice
his son Isaac, he directed his son to follow him to the place where he
was to execute the divine command; and as Isaac was following after his
father, a devil met him in the way near this wall, in the semblance of a
fair and friendly person, and asked him whither he went. Isaac answered
that he was going to his father, who waited for him. To this the arch
enemy repli